Altricial baby birds—those born naked, blind, and helpless—experience explosive growth during their first few weeks of life. This rapid development demands an intense amount of energy, requiring a high metabolic rate to process food and build tissue. The necessity of obtaining nourishment governs the chicks’ existence and dictates the feeding schedule provided by their parents. This schedule is finely tuned to the availability of food and the natural cycles of the environment.
Feeding Habits After Sunset
For the vast majority of wild bird species, baby birds do not eat at night. Most songbirds are diurnal, meaning their activity cycle is confined to the period between dawn and dusk. Once the sun sets, parent birds cease foraging and settle down to rest, taking a necessary reprieve from the demands of daytime feeding.
This nocturnal fasting is possible because a baby bird’s metabolic rate temporarily slows down during the night. This natural physiological dip helps them conserve energy and survive the long hours without a meal. The darkness also aids in predator avoidance, as reduced parental activity around the nest lowers the risk of attracting nocturnal hunters.
The temporary drop in body temperature and metabolic activity allows the chick to conserve energy gained during the day. For most wild birds, a feeding break of approximately eight hours, typically between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m., is a normal part of their development cycle.
Daytime Feeding Frequency
The cessation of feeding at night highlights the intensity of the parents’ labor during daylight hours. To support their rapid growth, baby birds must consume a volume of food often equivalent to their own body weight daily. This requirement translates into a feeding schedule that is nearly constant from dawn until sunset.
Depending on the age and species, a parent bird may visit the nest with food every 15 to 30 minutes throughout the day. This often means a parent delivers food to the nest more than 100 times daily, constantly replenishing the chicks’ crops. The composition of the diet also influences the feeding effort required by the parents.
Insectivorous birds must constantly hunt and bring back soft-bodied prey, which is high in protein but requires frequent delivery to meet energy needs. Birds incorporating energy-dense seeds or berries may have slightly longer intervals between trips, but the overall volume of food remains immense.
What to Do If You Find a Baby Bird
If you encounter a baby bird outside of a nest, correctly identify its stage of development to determine the appropriate action. A “nestling” is a sparsely feathered or unfeathered bird, often with closed eyes, indicating it is too young to be out of the nest and requires immediate help. If you locate the nest, gently return the nestling, as parent birds do not reject their young based on human scent.
A “fledgling” is a fully or mostly feathered young bird that has voluntarily left the nest but is still learning to fly. Fledglings are often found hopping on the ground or in low shrubs, and their parents are nearby, continuing to feed and monitor them. In this case, the bird is safe and should be left alone; simply keep pets and children away from the area.
Attempting to feed a wild baby bird yourself can be fatal. Inappropriate items like bread, milk, or water can lead to serious health problems, including nutritional deficiencies, digestive issues, or aspiration. The bird’s specialized diet and feeding technique require expert knowledge.
If the bird is injured, the nest cannot be located, or the parents are deceased, contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitator immediately. These professionals have the proper tools and nutritional formulas to care for the bird without causing harm. Keep the bird warm and quiet in a secure container while you arrange for professional help.